Tone Mapping of HDR Images via Meta-Guided Bayesian Optimization and Virtual Diffraction Modeling

This paper proposes a novel image tone-mapping framework that incorporates meta-learning, a psychophysical model, Bayesian optimization, and light-field virtual diffraction. First, we formalize the virtual diffraction process as a mathematical operator defined in the frequency domain to reconstruct high-dynamic-range (HDR) images through phase modulation, enabling the precise control of image details and contrast. In parallel, we apply the Stevens power law to simulate the nonlinear luminance perception of the human visual system, thereby adjusting the overall brightness distribution of the HDR image and improving the visual experience. Unlike existing methods that primarily emphasize structural fidelity, the proposed method strikes a balance between perceptual fidelity and visual naturalness. Secondly, an adaptive parameter tuning system based on Bayesian optimization is developed to conduct optimization of the Tone Mapping Quality Index (TMQI), quantifying uncertainty using probabilistic models to approximate the global optimum with fewer evaluations. Furthermore, we propose a task-distribution-oriented meta-learning framework: a meta-feature space based on image statistics is constructed, and task clustering is combined with a gated meta-learner to rapidly predict initial parameters. This approach significantly enhances the robustness of the algorithm in generalizing to diverse HDR content and effectively mitigates the cold-start problem in the early stage of Bayesian optimization, thereby accelerating the convergence of the overall optimization process. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method substantially outperforms state-of-the-art tone-mapping algorithms across multiple benchmark datasets, with an average improvement of up to 27% in naturalness. Furthermore, the meta-learning-guided Bayesian optimization achieves two- to five-fold faster convergence. In the trade-off between computational time and performance, the proposed method consistently dominates the Pareto frontier, achieving high-quality results and efficient convergence with a low computational cost.